What’s the criteria?

• accomplishing a mix of commercial success/being iconic, high influence, having albums people consider classic & also being highly appreciated by the hip hop community at the same time

I personally think that‘s the most fair description since there are rappers who are insanely skilled lyrically but lack the public respect others have or are commercially at the top but are not respected as much by heads for example.

80s: (decade of the hip hop groups)

NWA

Run DMC

Eric B & Rakim

Public Enemy

90s:
Biggie

2Pac

Nas

Jay Z

(HM: Snoop Dogg, DMX)

00s: Big 4

Eminem

50 Cent

Lil Wayne

Kanye

(Honorable Mention: Andre 3000, Jay Z)

10s:

Drake

Kendrick

J Cole

20s: non yet
Arguable:

• Pop Smoke (highly influential, commercially the biggest album of the new gen, highly appreciated by hip hop fans) unfortunately died too young
• Carti (most influential (also in fashion), commercially up there - cult-like fanbase, music nerds love that man)
• maybe Lil Baby & NBA Youngboy?
• X & Juice WRLD had the potential but they died too

everybody post yours itt!

@op knows what he doing posting Cole in OP he not slick

the public agreed with this I‘m trying to be neutral here Coleslaw is also checking these boxes to be fair besides being highly influential probably

kira we have lives

Dave don‘t do this 😫

Cole didn't do enough for him to be big 3 in 2010's or 2020's he knows it too that's why he always tried to push that narrative. Every accomplishment or achievement he made Future, Nicki, Travis, all doubled. He's on that Tyler and Meek level. He's noteworthy but somewhere between A list and B list tier. The only reason he snuck in there was Hov propaganda

X would def be 2020s if he lived

Agree!

2020's gonna be the first decade without a big 3.

This new s*** is low tier AF

It’s future Kendrick and drake

They just gon carry us another decade.

I personally like Travis and Future way more too but you could argue that they are not better lyrically or not as good when it comes to the orthodox MCing s***. I also think Future has not one album that sold more than 2014 FHD as far as I know & public reception / respect is also a big factor. But yeah marketing is a big part of it. Drake had Weezy, Cole had Jay & Kendrick had Dre.

European underground takeover

Remove cole @op

Miles Morales not f***ing with Jermaine 😳

He’s
NIGGA BUM!

Sleep Cole really f***ed up with his apology I see

Original 2010’s big 3

YUCK

You can’t put Drake as a big 3 and not put Jay Z

Interesting how narratives can change so fast within a decade

Wale fell off like crazy
Cudi lioned for his prime but he dropped some dumpster juice, lost respect & is also commercially not touching Cole either and I said that as someone who f***s with him 10x than Jermaineee

flop dam kira

i wouldnt consider them underground atp tbh